"Leave. Him. Or. I'll. Kill. You" Emma's voice echoed in the forest, her voice firm and angry. Her eyes drifted to the body of her boyfriend lying in front of her, completely still. If not for his chest heaving, Emma would've thought that Killian was dead.
The three women laughed. It was a terrible sound. "Oh but Emma we are here to make a deal!" Cruella smirked.
"That's what I'm doing. If you leave him, I won't kill you. Not today at least" Emma replied, icily.
"Someone's got an inflated sense of self-worth. You might have been enough to defeat Regina with that curse, but your magic is no match for the three of us" Maleficent seethed.
Emma was not stupid. She knew her magic was of no match to the Queens of Darkness. Even the Dark One was unable to take them out at once, Emma was still an amateur. She took a deep breath in and counted till ten in her head, trying to calm her nerves and not showing the Queens just how desperate and scared she was.
"Fine. What do you want?" Emma asked.
"The Savior on our side of course" Ursula spoke, her eyes sizing Emma up.
"I'm the Savior. I'm a hero" Emma said, confused with their proposition.
"But your heart isn't as pure as your parents. There is darkness in you Emma, and we need you to embrace it" Maleficent informed her.
"I can't just turn bad can I? And what has Killian got to do with all of this?" Emma said, taking a step forward towards her boyfriend but stopping as she saw Ursula step forward as well.
"It's a curse" Cruella said, "It will enable you to finally embrace the darkness within you. Think of it as losing your humanity. You won't be able to feel any sort of emotions towards anyone – no kinship, no love, no guilt, nothing. Once you eradicate these feelings from your heart, you're basically an emotionless villain – you won't feel any guilt or any moral remorse doing anything evil and that matched with your Savior magical powers will eventually make you invincible"
"The catch, though, is that you are the only one who can put that curse on yourself. It's one of my own making" Maleficent said, lifting her head up in pride.
"Now why would I do that?" Emma asked, giving them a sarcastic smile, while her eyes were filled with anger.
"Well if you don't we'll kill this lover of yours" Ursula said, walking towards Killian and touching his face, "Such a pretty boy"
"Get away from him!" Emma screamed and Ursula laughed.
"So what is it going to be Savior? Are you willing to give up everything that makes you a hero for the Captain? Or would you rather have him die?" Maleficent inquired.
"How do I know you won't kill him?" Emma asked, her anger being replaced by fear. Fear of losing him.
"You don't. But we won't. Just like the pirate we also believe in good form. Plus, you never know he could come in useful later. He is pretty resourceful after all" Ursula said, her tentacles wrapping around his neck, "So Emma, your humanity or Killian?"
"If I put that curse on myself, he lives? That's the deal you wanna make?" Emma asked, tears forming in the back of her eyes.
"With all my heart" Maleficent replied.
Emma looked over at Killian's still body and was transported back to the moment she almost watched Gold crush his heart. The hurt and sadness she had felt had been like what she felt when she thought Henry was dead. It was unbearable.
She loved him. She had never admitted or confessed it because well she was she, incapable of talking about her feelings but right now all she wanted to do was tell him that just how much she loves him. A tear escaped her eyes as she remembered how this man has fought for her and even gave his home up for her. And now for once he was the one who needed her to fight for him.
"We don't have all day darling. Who do you pick? Your humanity or Hook?" Cruella said, smoothing her fur coat.
"I'd pick him in a heartbeat" Emma said, the tears finally falling from her eyes.
"Ahhh, good decision" Maleficent said and walked towards Emma. She handed her a piece of paper which looked like the curse parchment Regina had. "Read this and say good bye to your emotions forever"
Emma took the parchment in her hands. "Leave him first" she said.
Ursula retreated her tentacles and Maleficent turned around. She waved her hand and Killian's eyes shot open. He stood up and blinked several times trying to take in the situation in front of him, "Swan? What are you doi – where are we? What the bloody hell are you three doing here?"
"DO IT!" Cruella screamed.
Emma jerked at her screaming and glanced at Killian. She wanted to tell him that she loves him. She wanted to tell him that he owns her heart just like he had promised her once "When I win your heart Emma". She wanted to tell him that yes she could see a future with him here, a happy one. But not a single word escaped her mouth. She couldn't burden him with all her feelings. She knows that he loves her too - she knew it the instant he told her about his sacrifice "You traded your ship for me?" "Aye"
She now knows that when he was saying "Just needed to see you. Needed to see you one more time" he thought that it was the last time he was going to see her. She knew that the only reason he didn't tell her that he loved her then was because he didn't want to burden her with his feelings and then disappear from her life. So being the kindred spirits that they are, Emma just gave him a little sad smile. Thank you for always being by my side Killian. Thank you for not abandoning me. I love you.
With a last smile to Killian, Emma read the curse on the parchment. Suddenly the weather changed. Dark clouds loomed over Storybrooke as a thunderstorm striked.
Emma slowly opened her eyes and smirked at the three Queens of Darkness.